I confess that I am a laggard. The blogging buzz has been loud in my ears for some time now, but I have resisted the urge to adopt the habit. I wanted to devote what precious time I had available to my writing projects.Plus, and here comes another confession, please do not be scandalized, I have never been successful at keeping a journal. I tried “Dear Diary” as a teenager and bored myself to sleep. So why start blogging now?

Well, my reasons are few but good ones, I think:

1.A sense of community: writing is a solitary undertaking which can be isolating. By blogging, I can share my writing joys, frustrations and discoveries. Also, I can share fellow writers’ experiences at overcoming hurdles. Reading other writers’ blogs and writing my own blog reinforces a feeling of solidarity. “We WILL be published!”

2.Expressing myself: unlike a private journal, online blogging is like talking out loud. I can voice my progress with current projects and articulate my hurdles. Writing down my struggles will clarify the obstacles and, I believe, be helpful in finding solutions. Other writers will read what I’ve written (hopefully!) which will lead to an exchange of ideas and advice. Because what I write will be read by others, it requires that I put careful thought into how I express myself, which in itself is a writing exercise. “Practice makes perfect.”

3.Web presence: blogging will give me an identity on the web. Whether my blog is read by many or just a few, it is a symbol of my commitment to my writing. It shows my passion for my craft. I am doing it for the writer in me.